寄生虫
kiseichū[kʲi̥se̞ːt͡ɕɨː]
The English phrase 'gold digger' can be translated into Japanese as 寄生虫 (kiseichū).
In Japanese, the term 寄生虫 is used to describe a person who lives off another person, much like a biological parasite. While the English term 'gold digger' specifically emphasizes the pursuit of wealth, 寄生虫 focuses on the parasitic nature of the relationship.
Meaning: person who cultivates a personal relationship in order to attain money or material goods, power (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kiseichū
Did you know?
- The kanji 虫 in 寄生虫 is used for insects and bugs. Because of this, calling someone a gold digger in Japanese literally labels them as a 'parasitic bug'.
- Unlike the English 'gold digger' which sounds somewhat cinematic or cheeky, using 寄生虫 in a real conversation can be seen as an extremely aggressive and cold-blooded accusation.
- The term 寄生虫 can be applied to adults, but it is also frequently used to describe adult children who live at home and rely on their parents for everything, regardless of their romantic intentions.
Examples in context
- 彼女は金持ち狙いなんだって。I heard she is aiming for the wealthy.
- ほんとうに？でも金の亡者みたいに思えないけど。Really? But she doesn't seem like a money-grubber though.
- そうかもしれないけど、金目当てだと思ったことはあるよ。That might be true, but I have thought she was after money.
Example conversation
Yui warns Ren about his new girlfriend's intentions.
- 結衣 Yui蓮、新しい彼女に気をつけなよ。Ren, atarashii kanojo ni ki o tsukena yo.Ren, be careful with your new girlfriend.
- 蓮 Renどういう意味？彼女はいい人だよ。Dō iu imi? Kanojo wa ii hito dayo.What do you mean? She is a good person.
- 結衣 Yui彼女はただの寄生虫だと思う。Kanojo wa tada no kiseichū da to omou.I think she is just a gold digger.
- 蓮 Renひどいな。そんなことないよ。Hidoi na. Sonna koto nai yo.That's mean. It's not like that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 寄生虫, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
